Why Medical Assistants Are in Demand Now

Medical assistant training programs offer a career that gives you the opportunity to help others while also providing variety and security in your career. Well-trained medical assistants are in high demand, with employment rates expected to grow by 29% from 2016 to 2026,according to the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). This is largely due to the comprehensive MA training provided by places such as The Allen School of Health Sciences, where students are taught both clinical and administrative skills. With this education, medical assistants are equipped to handle wide-ranging responsibilities, which enables physicians to spend more time attending to patients. Keep reading to learn a few reasons why medical assisting opportunities have been increasing along with the demand for medical assistants.

Chronic Illnesses

More than 130 million Americans suffer from chronic illness. Individuals with conditions such as asthma, arthritis, diabetes, mental health disorders, cancer, obesity, heart diseases, require frequent medical attention and professional assistance. Medical Assistants help mitigate the resulting demand on a doctor’s time by helping patients understand the nature of their conditions, and educating them on how to implement necessary home care.

Aging Population

Older adults require more preventive medical care, and the aging generation of Baby Boomers ― almost one-third of the U.S. population ― has had a direct impact on the growth of the healthcare industry. As this population continues to grow, the already taxed healthcare system will become even more strained, which will continue to raise the demand for both preventive medical services and emergency medical assistance. Consequently, more trained healthcare professionals such as medical assistants will be hired to handle routine clinical and administrative tasks.

The Affordable Care Act (ACA)

The enactment of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) extended healthcare coverage to a greater amount of individuals, providing health insurance to more Americans than ever before. Previously, individuals without health insurance may have avoided seeking medical care because of the high cost. Subsequently, the spike in medically insured individuals naturally created a spike in office and hospital outpatient visits, which then increased the amount of paperwork – billing, accounting, and bookkeeping – for healthcare providers to complete. Performing the administrative tasks required to run a healthcare facility is a necessity that places a high value on trained medical assistants.

Medical assisting is quickly becoming one of the most popular careers in America. The Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts job growth within the field reaching 29% in the next ten years, making it one of the fastest-growing job markets in the country.With the incredible job opportunities, room to grow within the field, and flexibility within the field, it’s easy to see why so many want to enter the medical assisting profession. Some clear traits have been discovered that make a good medical assistant. If you’re interested in pursuing a career in medical assisting, check out these traits for top applicants and see if they apply to you.

You’re Adaptable

In the medical field, things are constantly changing, and your day can go from routine to hectic in a matter of seconds. Medical assistants can find themselves caring for multiple patients at a time, so it’s important to be able to switch gears quickly and handle any task that comes at you with skill and patience.

You’re Compassionate

More often than not, you will be encountering patients during very confusing and scary parts of their lives. Dealing with health issues can be incredibly emotionally draining for patients and their families, and part of your job will be providing emotional as well as physical support. If you can find the humor in scary situations, and maintain a pleasant demeanor during stressful times, you may have what it takes to be a medical assistant.

You Want to Help Your Community

The medical field is a vital part of any community, and you will find yourself coming in contact with people of many different backgrounds and beliefs. If you take joy in being a part of your community and have a passion for providing the best care you can to every person who walks into your facility, a career in medical assisting could be your dream job.If you relate to any or all of these traits, it’s time to consider a job in medical assisting. Contact The Allen School today to learn more about how to make your dreams a reality and put your skills to best use.

I found this excellent chart courtesy of BoingBoing.net. Originally featured in an editorial in the New England Journal of Medicine, the chart demonstrates just how far medicine has come in the last 100 years. Not only are far fewer people dying per capital of disease, but so many afflictions, diseases and disorders have been cured. This is an amazing recent record of achievement, discovery and improvements in technology and human knowledge. As medicine has taken this quantum leap, medical office personnel – certified nursing assistants and medical assistants have been an instrumental part of the process. Its interesting to think what the roles, functions and duties of CNAs and medical assistants may have looked like 100 years ago. Or what nursing assistant training programs may have consisted of? Likely, the difference would be about as dramatic as the difference in this chart.

Allen School is licensed by the Arizona State Board for Private and postsecondary Education, the New York State Department of Education and nationally accredited by the Commission of the Council on Occupational Education. For more information about graduation rates, the median debt of students who completed the program, and other important information, please click here.

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